At least as old as the 1920s, the building that houses the bookstore (est. 1933) is said to have literary poltergeists in residence. Books have flown off the shelves, mostly those in the metaphysical section or those by author Jack Kerouac, who often visited the store during his lifetime. Cold spots have been detected as well. Some maintain that one of the ghosts in residence is Kerouac himself, who died in 1969.
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Geographic Information
- Address:
- 2025 Central Ave
St Petersburg, FL 33713
United States
Get Directions » - GPS:
- 27.771341, -82.66081700000001
- County:
- Pinellas County, Florida
- Nearest Towns:
- Saint Petersburg, FL (1.1 mi.)
Gulfport, FL (3.1 mi.)
Lealman, FL (3.6 mi.)
West and East Lealman, FL (3.8 mi.)
Kenneth City, FL (4.7 mi.)
South Pasadena, FL (4.8 mi.)
Pinellas Park, FL (5.5 mi.)
Saint Pete Beach, FL (5.9 mi.)
Treasure Island, FL (6.6 mi.)
Tierra Verde, FL (6.7 mi.)
Contact Information
- Web:
- http://www.haslams.com/
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Comments (8)
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Disclaimer: The stories posted here are user-submitted and are, in the nature of "ghost stories," largely unverifiable. HauntedPlaces.org makes no claims that any of the statements posted here are factually accurate. The vast majority of information provided on this web site is anecdotal, and as such, should be viewed in the same light as local folklore and urban legends.
Jack Kerouac died in St. Petersburg, and his final home is not far from this place. I’ve personally not experienced anything here (and I love Jack’s work). It’s been said that the worst activity occurred when his books were placed on the lower shelves but since they been moved to the top shelves the activity has tended to die down.
Once while at Haslam’s, I felt someone brush by me, and felt a tap on my shoulder. I looked around and no one was there. I was in the front of the store looking at Florida history books. Whatever/whoever brushed by me did not scare me. The feeling was not frightening.
Haslam’s is one of my favorite places on this planet. I always have someone following me around though when I walk in. I can feel a presence that isn’t evil or rude, just interested. All the normal things such as feeling a breeze as they pass by, or a book falling, little things like that. Definitely someone hanging out, but nothing scary or harmful, just a friend looking around. Best bookstore in the south!
No. Will not go in this place. Went in here once with my friend and her mom, who was obsessed with wanting to “investigate” it. She was particularly interested in finding the section that housed Kerouac’s books to do an evp session and verbally said out loud “where’s Jacks books” and immediately from 3 rows over 2 books went flying off the shelf. They were his books and I haven’t been back since.
I go to Haslam’s all the time. Before I ever knew of any suspected paranormal activity there, I used to feel someone unseen brush by me or tap me on the shoulder. This was usually in the Florida book section. Even after hearing of paranormal activity at Haslam’s and more personal encounters there, I was never afraid. Whoever was brushing by me and tapping me on the shoulder seemed friendly and almost playful.
Just visited here. Didn’t have any idea it was a documented haunted location, but immediately felt it when I walked in. Felt heaviest presence in rooms to the far right, both front and back, of you’re facing the store from the front door. Felt a little bit of sadness and got teary (I am mostly an emotiona ‘medium’) in the religions room into reference/travel….. Also, felt the presence of Elizabeth Haslam *very* intensely when I looked at her photo. Anyone else sense her?
Had a very odd experience there today. I just moved back to the area after many years born and raised here. This was my first go to place I couldn’t wait to visit. I was in the far corner of the children’s section picking up a copy of Alice In Wonderland and I literally stepped right on an old book in the middle of the floor after I found what I was looking for. And old copy of Nostradamus opened to pages 152/53. I picked it up and finished walking through every isle in the store. I was there several hours. I finished in the metaphysical section right before I checked out. At the very end of the section I became extremely nauseous for really no reason, and on the bottom shelf right in front of me was the section of all of Nostradamus’s works. I have no clue the significance of this but it was no coincidence at all. I ended up buying that book it just seemed meant for me to read I guess. I took a picture of the lock on the inside of the bathroom door. Just thinking of so many people that have visited this wonderful store.
I remember I was 4yrs old at the time and I was on the floor in the next room in the corner on the far left playing and I notice a cold spot on the floor and I told my mother there was a cold spot on the floor and she grabbed my hand and picked me up off the floor and we left.At that age that was very dramatic for me and never forgot about it to this day.